2018 WC qualifier: Japan hold Australia in thriller

Genki Haraguchi scored an early goal but gave away a second-half penalty as Japan drew 1-1 with Australia in a pulsating World Cup qualifier in Melbourne on Tuesday.

Haraguchi got Japan off to a flying start by scoring in the fifth minute at Docklands stadium but the visitors' celebrations were tempered when the midfielder made a clumsy challenge on forward Tomi Juric shortly after the break.

Socceroos captain Mile Jedinak slotted home the spot-kick in the 52nd minute to salvage a point for the hosts but both the Asian heavyweights were left frustrated after chances went begging in a high-tempo second half.

The result left each team with their World Cup destiny in their hands, but Japan will leave more satisfied after shrugging off fatigue and injury concerns to hold the Asian Cup champions.

"My feeling after this game is not regret, maybe some frustration," Japan coach Vahid Halilhodzic told reporters.

"We had a tactical preparation based on our physical condition.

"The players did a good job, especially defensively."

Australia coach Ange Postecoglou started Juric up front, with veteran forward Tim Cahill playing the last 20 minutes off the bench.

Talisman Cahill, the match-winner against Japan at the 2006 World Cup, was loudly cheered by the crowd of 48,000 when he came on but was unable to influence the game.

Australia paid the price for an early mistake by defender Trent Sainsbury.

Keisuke Honda laid off a superb pass for Haraguchi to run on to and he finished with a deft left-foot shot that slid beneath keeper Mat Ryan's outstretched leg.

Rattled, Australia lifted their work-rate but were devoid of ideas going forward in a sluggish first half.

They were lucky not to be 2-0 down in the 28th minute when Honda, afforded space at the edge of the area, fired straight at the keeper.

A more enterprising Socceroos team emerged after the break, and were rewarded when Haraguchi fouled into Juric in the box.

Jedinak hammered his spot kick straight down the centre.

A brilliant, diving save by Ryan denied Yu Kobayashi in the 74th minute, the keeper's right glove stopping the midfielder's header.

Japan also endured a nerve-jangling finish, with defender Matthew Spiranovic latching on to a free kick from Massimo Luongo but sending the header over shortly before stoppage time.

"We were very poor in the first half," Postecoglou said.

"That’s a major disappointment for me."

Stielike rues lack of bite as toothless Korea stumble

South Korea head coach Uli Stielike bemoaned the lack of a cutting edge striker after his side offered little threat going forward in Tuesday's 1-0 World Cup qualifying defeat to Iran in Tehran.

Asia section Group A leaders Iran dominated the clash at the Azadi stadium with home striker Sardar Azmoun scoring the winning goal with a well-taken finish in the first half.

The Koreans, who suffered their first defeat in the qualifying campaign for the 2018 tournament, failed to cope with the intensity of Team Melli's play and struggled to create any clear-cut chances against a determined Iranian defence.

"Our primary goal is to qualify for the World Cup but if we play like we did today, it may be difficult to accomplish that. It hurts to admit it, but we have to credit the better team," Stielike told reporters after the game.

"I sent Kim Shin-wook on in the second half to find ways to score but it didn't work out. I think it's due to the fact that we don't have a striker like Sebastian Soria," he added of the Qatari forward who troubled Korea in their previous match.

South Korea were often out-muscled by Iran, who comfortably won a majority of the physical duels, and Stielike feels the only way his side can overcome this weakness was to develop a better understanding of their brand of football.

"I know Iran pushed us around with their physical play but I think there's something fundamentally wrong that we still couldn't win here with new players and coaches," the 61-year-old German said.

"Our players tend to be smaller or weaker than the Iranian players. And it's going to take a lot of work to overcome that with solid play of our own."

South Korea, who are third in their qualifying group after four games, host second-placed Uzbekistan in a key encounter next month.

China's fading hopes of qualifying for the finals for a second time received another blow when they were beaten 2-0 by Uzbekistan, who moved up to second in Group A a point behind Iran.

Second half goals from Marat Bikmaev and substitute Shukurov Otabek in Tashkent left the Chinese bottom of the six-team group with a solitary point.

Qatar, hosts of the 2022 World Cup, did finally get their campaign up and running when a first half penalty from captain Hasan Al Haydos gave them a 1-0 win over Syria.

Iran lead Group A on 10 points ahead of Uzbekistan (9) and the Koreans (7) with Syria (4) and Qatar (3) also ahead of China. South Korea host Uzbekistan in the next round of fixtures on Nov. 15.